Knuckleball shuts down Yankees

TORONTO (AP) — R.A. Dickey and three relievers combined for a shutout, Jose Bautista and Melky Cabrera homered and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the New York Yankees 4-0 on Saturday afternoon.

Dickey (1-0) allowed six runs and five hits in his season-opening start at Tampa Bay last Monday but was much sharper against New York. The 2012 NL Cy Young winner gave up five hits in 6 2-3 innings, walked one and struck out six.

The Yankees were denied the tying run in the third on a play the umpires reviewed to decide if baseball’s new rules against blocking home plate applied. Francisco Cervelli hit a leadoff double and tried to score on Jacoby Ellsbury’s two-out single to center. Colby Rasmus made a one-hop throw to the plate, where Josh Thole tagged out Cervelli to end the inning. After manager Joe Girardi came out to argue, crew chief Dana DeMuth, the plate umpire, upheld his decision.

New rules instituted this season prevent catchers from blocking a runner’s path to the plate unless they have possession of the ball. Replays showed Thole was straddling the plate while awaiting the throw, then dropped his right knee to block Cervelli immediately after receiving the ball.

Advertisement

Girardi came out again to speak to DeMuth after the call was upheld, and Cervelli also exchanged words with DeMuth as they stood at home plate before the bottom of the inning.

Aaron Loup got one out and Brett Cecil two before Sergio Santos worked the final 1 1-3 innings for his second save in as many chances.

Cabrera, who homered off Masahiro Tanaka in the first inning Friday, gave the Blue Jays some breathing room with a one-out drive off David Phelps in the eighth.

Colby Rasmus followed with a double, snapping an 0-for-14 slump, and Bautista made it 4-0 with a drive to left, his third.

Right-hander Michael Pineda (0-1) made his first major league start in pinstripes since he was acquired in a January 2012 trade with Seattle. Pineda hurt his shoulder that spring and underwent season-ending surgery in May. He was activated off the disabled list in July 2013 and finished the season with Triple-A Scranton.

For Pineda, it was his first start since September 2011, when he faced Minnesota.

Adam Lind doubled to begin the second inning and scored one out later on Thole’s single. That was the only run allowed by Pineda, who gave up five hits in six innings, walked none and struck out five. He threw 83 pitches, 58 strikes, and retired 13 of the final 14 batters he faced.

Dickey left after Cervelli’s two-out single in the seventh. Loup hit Yangervis Solarte but pinch-hitter Brian Roberts popped out.

New York used a single, a walk and an infield grounder to put runners at second and third with two outs in the eighth, but Santos came on and got Alfonso Soriano to strike out on four pitches. Soriano finished 0 for 4 and is hitless in 16 at bats to begin the season.

NOTES: The Yankees placed 1B Mark Teixeira (right hamstring) on the 15-day DL and recalled C Austin Romine from Triple-A. ... Blue Jays SS Jose Reyes (left hamstring) took batting practice from both sides of the plate but has not yet resumed running. ... Toronto intended to promote RHP Chad Jenkins but selected RHP Marcus Walden instead, because insufficient time had elapsed since Jenkins was last demoted. Jenkins isn’t ineligible for promotion until 10 days into the season, except in case of injury. ... LHP CC Sabathia (0-1) faces RHP Drew Hutchison (1-0) in Sunday’s series finale.